The Healing Throne
by City Of Tyler
Summary: Even as she tries to gain back all she's lost, Quinn's new role as a mother clashes with the life she had. With Puck begging for redemption, Quinn juggles Glee, family and relationships, while trying to prioritise Beth in her life. Set from S2 E1 onwards
1. The Journey

At the moment, this story is without direction. What can be said is that it will be written along the storylines of the current (2nd) season. I hate that Puck and Quinn aren't together in this season, when everything in the promotional material suggests otherwise.

Although I can see why the adoption storyline was chosen - giving me a renewed enthusiasm for Bohemian Rhapsody - I think as a character Quinn too quickly recovered from the emotional haul of giving her baby away, I would have been interested in exploring her journey (no pun intended) as a teen mother, it just seemed a little too clean and perfect for her to rebound so quickly.

So tell me what you think, first chapter might be a little rushed, I'm enthused after all.

Listen to: Kate Voegele - Hallelujah

* * *

For Quinn, the new school year began with an interrogation by Ben Jacob Israel. She was hoping to say under the radar, what with Santana's new boobs and Brittany's ever deteriorating mental state, but when the Jewfro felt obliged to question her emotions after the birth of her 'bastard child' Quinn could see this year on a downhill slide. Didn't help that the child in question was asleep at her feet in a carrier, being stared at by the entire population of McKinley High.

"Everything okay there Quinn?" When Israel bound off to cross-examine another Glee club member, Quinn's dark mood was distracted by Mr. Schuester, who put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Everything's fine." She forced a smile on her face and slung her book bag over her shoulder, dipping down to grab Beth from the ground.

"Here, let me." Finn had unattached himself from Jewfro at some point, and tailing Rachel, had decided to come to Quinn's aid.

"No, really." She took a firm grasp of the carrier, aware of the precarious slide of her book bag down her arm.

"Can I have a hold?" Mr. Schue saved the awkward encounter of the two ex's, taking the weight of Beth from Quinn's arms and saving her the danger of whacking her child in the head with her science text book. Finn and Rachel seemed to melt into the crowd, making Quinn sag with relief.

"Thanks Mr. Schue." She hated how her voice sounded, thick with tears, aware that her hair was long and lank, aware of the dark circles under her eyes, not wanting people to know that her little angel was a little handful.

"Haven't seen Puck this morning." Mr. Schue commented idly as he walked Quinn to her class, unaware of the nerves he was hitting with his casual comment.

"I haven't seen Puck all summer." Quinn shrugged, pausing at the door to her classroom and accepting Beth, carrier and all, from Mr. Schue.

"Look, Quinn. If you ever need to talk or-" He started to say, grimace on his face as he carefully worded his words.

"I have a mother, a guidance counsellor and a mommy therapist." Quinn listed. "But thanks for the offer."

"We'll see you at Glee practice right?" He asked, watching Quinn's expression fall slightly.

"I kind of have to-" She motioned down at the baby, who slept on oblivious to the people and conversations around her. "I'll have to bring her along."

Mr. Schuester smiled warmly. "Our littlest Glee Club member. See you after school." He touched her shoulder briefly and then rushed off to his own class, leaving Quinn to enter her Science class awkwardly, sliding into the first empty chair and settling Beth on the desk next to her.

"Miss Fabray, is that a baby?" The teacher started to question Quinn, and without even opening her mouth, Quinn produced the letter that excused her for carrying Beth around, her local church ground having pressured Figgins into allowing Quinn's so called 'rehabilitation' to include bringing Beth to her classes, despite it being unconventional for a young mother.

The teacher huffed, but didn't press the issue, leaving Quinn to square her shoulders in defiance against the weight of the stares of the other students. Halfway through the lesson when Beth began to fuss slightly, screwing up her little face in annoyance, Quinn causally reached into the carrier and put her hand on Beth's stomach, rubbing it reassuringly until she settled, aware of the heavy weight of her breasts and the feeding schedule she'd worked out.

"Mr. Tanner?" She raised her hand for attention.

"Miss Fabray?" He didn't bother getting up from his seat, staring at her almost accusingly from across the room.

"May I be excused?" She requested politely, hoping to avoid an explanation of why she needed to leave the classroom, Mr. Tanner wasn't going to play along.

"For what purpose?" Heads were starting to look between the two of them.

Quinn dropped the pretence of politeness. "I need to breastfeed my baby." She said bluntly, smirking internally as several people gaped openly at her.

Mr. Tanner became flustered, ripping a hall pass and scribbling on it frantically.

"Take the rest of the lesson, have chapters one through three revised for tomorrow." He ordered, holding out the hall pass, his face and neck flaming red.

Quinn gathered her books and accepted the hall pass, making sure Beth was secure, her eyes open now, looking around the room as though fascinated by her surroundings.

Once out of the classroom, Quinn was faced with the dilemma of where she was meant to feed Beth, her room as home had the duel comforts of a comfy rocking chair and privacy from the leers of other people, and Beth hated being tented under a blanket, preferring to wrap her little fingers in Quinn's hair and grab at her mother's skin.

"Are you okay Quinn." Quinn's gaze fell upon a neatly dressed Miss Pillsbury, who had the spotless appearance of an obsessive compulsive and the glow in her cheeks on someone in love. It tugged painfully at Quinn's heart and she gave the Guidance Counselor a sheepish grin.

"Can I use your office for a little while?"

* * *

Quinn was early for Glee, the choir room silent and the perfect place for another feeding. Beth was kicking her feet happily as she fed, dark eyes blinking lazily as she stared at her mother in contentment. With Beth at her breast, and in a place that felt like a second home, Quinn was surprised at just how relaxed she was, and how much she'd missed Glee club. Beth had just started to snatch at things when in front of her, her eyes widening when her mother spoke to her, even squirming happily when her grandmother talked.

The moment was ruined with the door open and she set eyes upon the last person she wanted to see.

"Hi." Puck shifted uncomfortably, his eyes instantly landing on where Quinn had one side of her blouse open, even with Beth blocking the view.

Quinn set her jaw stubbornly, not saying a word as Beth finished up, allowing Quinn to close her blouse and burp the baby, actions that had become so practiced and smooth in contrast to the first time she'd breastfed Beth. Puck watched her movements, caught somewhere between fascination and awkwardness.

"Look, Quinn." He started to say, but she held up a hand to cut him off, settling Beth down in her carrier and tucking the blankets around her, soothing her quietly, and only when she was settled and sleepy, did Quinn face Puck.

"No." She said quietly, although clearly. "You do not get to talk to me, you don't get to look at her, and you are not a part of my family, of our family." She gestured to Beth.

"I can explain." He began to explain, but Quinn cut him off again.

"Just shut up Puckerman!" She snapped, the raise of her voice made Beth stir and she began to fuss. Hesitatingly, Rachel, Finn, Artie and Kurt began to filter into the choir room.

"Is this a bad time?" Artie asked, breaking the cold silence stirred by Beth's quiet whimpers.

Quinn forced a smile onto her face.

"This is a perfect time." She sat delicately, a hand smoothing down her skirt, the other reassuring Beth with a gentle touch, and when her fussing continued, Quinn gathered her in her arms and rocked her, all the while aware that everyone had their eyes on her.

One by one, the other Glee Club members entered the choir room and when Mr. Shue arrived, he set the tone for the meeting by reading comments from Ben Jacob Israel's blog.

"Glee is a giant ball of suck." He read out, and Quinn felt a smirk tugging at her lips, a year ago she would have been the one writing that.

Kurt and Mercedes were quick to defend Glee, like water off a duck's back, Mercedes hit the right notes when she described them as a family, the notion bought a warmth blossoming in Quinn's heart, the same kind of warmth when she'd settled Beth down with a full stomach and a deep sleep.

"We have to go from a small rebel force to a giant wall of sound." Mr. Shue was enthusiastic with his hand gestures, and Quinn realised how much she'd missed this, missed them, she was happy, even with the weight of Puck's eyes on her back.

* * *

That afternoon when she finally arrived home, it was to her overly happy mother, who greeted Quinn like the prodigal daughter returned each day, much to Quinn's chagrin as she struggled with Beth, her books and her mother attempting to kiss her cheek and smooth her hair all at once.

"I made dinner darling." Judy finished her fussing over Quinn and turned her attention to Beth, who was starting to rouse. Quinn almost happily relinquished the baby and escaped to the bathroom to be alone in what felt like days, growling in irritation as her phone started vibrating with the arrival of a message.

She deleted it as soon as she saw Puck's name, not even bothering to read it, perching on the edge of the bathtub and slowly sliding down to sit on the cool tiles, physically and mentally exhausted.

"Quinnie." Her mother's voice through the door was quiet and enquiring. "I put the baby in the nursery, would you like to eat your dinner in your room?"

At that moment, Quinn wanted nothing more, but with the manners she was raised with, washed her face and sat down to dinner with her mother, the two of them alone at the large table her father had bought when she was a little girl, proudly boasting about how her was going to fill the table with grandchildren and in-laws.

"Mom?" Her voice sounded so broken to her ears, after a whole day of holding her head up defiantly, she wanted nothing more than to break down and admit she was overwhelmed.

"Is the veal okay?" Judy reached across the table and settled a hand over Quinn's, her question meaning so much more than the words.

Quinn smiled weakly. "It's great."

The finished the meal in silence, Judy drinking her glass of red wine and Quinn drinking her water.

* * *

Quinn and Judy's relationship is purposly that perfect, and perhaps, to a degree, superficial.


	2. The Illusion

Quinn isn't going to bring Beth to school everyday, maybe the day care wasn't operating, maybe it was her own little 'fuck you' to everyone. Who knows. Oh wait, me.

This chapter was a little choppy, that was done on purpose, to get a feel of the short sharp moments of Quinn's life, things will get longer and smoother soon.

Lastly, thankyou to my fabulous reviewers - much love from Ty.

* * *

It was when she had a quiet moment, not that she'd had many of them lately, Quinn thought back to the night Beth was conceived.

The first thing she'd done the next morning was throw up in disgust, or perhaps from the alcohol. The second thing she'd done had been to take down the oil painting of Jesus from above her bed, while beautiful in its simplicity and depth, she'd felt unworthy of God.

That painting was still in the back of her closet, and she was sure it was written in the Bible somewhere that images of God shouldn't be stuffed away with too-small clothes and old toys, but Quinn was starting to feel like maybe she'd outgrown God too.

She hadn't been to church in weeks, Beth fussed through the only service Quinn had taken her to, and the judgemental looks of the other families had burned into her back, their disapproval evident for all to see. It was perhaps that her time living with Mercedes had changed her opinion not of God, but of her church and it's congregation, nothing like the church she had attended every Sunday with Mercedes and her parents, where Quinn and her baby bump had been welcomed warmly.

But as always, not matter what subject she started on, Quinn's thoughts came back to Puck. Puck and his smirk, Puck and his cocky attitude. Puck when he rubbed her feet when they ached and Puck when he snuck her out of the house for cheese and bacon burgers in the middle of the night. Puck and everything he'd done for, and to her.

When Beth began to cry in the middle of the night, Quinn was wide awake and at her side in a moment, carrying Beth from the nursery and into her own room, mother and daughter laying side by side under a blank wall.

They both slept soundly for the rest of the night.

* * *

"She'll be fine at the church day-care." Judy assured Quinn for the tenth time that morning, Beth was dressed and lying in her carrier, waiting to be taken by Quinn's mom to the day-care centre, it would be the longest mother and daughter had ever been away from each other.

"You'll stay with her? Make sure she's okay?" Quinn asked, nervously twisting her hands around in repetitive motions, breaking the cycle by occasionally smoothing the fabric of her pastel sundress.

Judy reached forward, stilling Quinn's hands with her own.

"Go to school, have fun, be a normal kid again, just for a little while." She ordered Quinn gently, her daughter returning a watery smile before kissing Beth on the forehead and letting Judy carry her from the house.

When Quinn had composed herself, she gathered her book bag and keys, locking up the house as she walked to where her little blue car sat waiting, having been unused for the months she'd lived with Finn, then Puck and finally Mercedes. The car seat in the back was a new addition, and Quinn loved the freedom of no longer having to rely on others to get to and from school.

Her peaceful mood turned sour when the engine failed to start, and in a matter on minutes Quinn started to panic, lifting the hood and failing to see any sort of issue, not that she understood cars to start with.

"Problem Fabray?" Quinn cursed silently, having failed to hear the familiar rumble of Puck's truck as he pulled up along the curb outside her house, staring intensely in her direction.

"It's fine." Quinn said shortly, turning away from him, but regardless she heard the slam of his truck door and his heavy footsteps up her driveway. She didn't look in his direction, even as he stood close enough to touch her, his entire body only inches away. His hands were on her hips then, and as Quinn opened her mouth to protest, he gently guided her out of the way and bent under the hood to inspect her car. He tinkered around for a moment, before leaning in the drivers side window to turn the key, when it failed to start he removed the keys and turned to Quinn with a smirk.

"Battery's gone flat." He took her hand and pressed her keys into it, and she didn't miss the way his fingers lingered over the pulse point in her wrist.

"Great." Quinn muttered, fishing through her book bag for her cell phone. Puck's hands snagged her book bag before she could stop him and began to carry it towards his truck.

"Get in the truck Quinn." He called behind him, opening the passengers side door and throwing her bag in, waiting with an impatient look on his face. Quinn opened her mouth to protest, but evidently thought better of it, hurrying to get in the truck but still managing to shoot Puck a dirty look as she climbed in, hyper aware of her clean dress and the dirty interior of his truck.

To her surprise, the inside was mostly clean, and as Puck steered away from the curb, Quinn sat there silently, hands folded in her lap, not trusting herself to speak. They spent the fifteen minute drive in silence, and not the comfortable kind of silence they had shared when she lived with him, this was awkward and tense, with threads of anger between both of them.

When he pulled into the parking lot, Quinn was grabbing her bag and sliding from the truck as fast as possible, muttering a quick 'thanks' as she brushed by Puck, he watched her hurry into the school building before cursing loudly and slamming his truck door in anger.

For the better part, her day passed quickly and quietly, her breasts were aching, even with the milk she'd expressed that morning for Beth to drink at day-care, her routine was upset, she was upset and it showed when she spent her lunch time in the bathroom crying, composing herself as the bell rang and heading to her next class.

* * *

"We need to talk." He cornered her after Glee, making it clear he meant business as he backed her against a locker but made no move to touch her.

"What do you want Puck?" She was trying to be diplomatic about this, she didn't want to spend the rest of her life arguing with her daughter's father, but she was tired, physically and emotionally, and she wanted to go home to her baby.

"My mom wants to see Beth, so do I for that matter." Puck told her bluntly.

Quinn laughed bitterly and shook her head a little. "The first and last time you had Beth, you watched her for an hour before you invited Santana over. You left my baby in the care of your seven year old sister so you could go have sex."

"I made a mistake okay? It happens." Puck threw his hands up in frustration.

"You said you loved me, you said you wanted this, that you wanted her!" Quinn began yelling. "What was Hannah meant to do if she started crying, if she got sick, she was three weeks old and you were meant to keep an eye on her for two hours Puckerman!"

"Nothing happened to her." He pointed out.

"Because I came back to drop off her diaper bag to find your little sister playing dress up with her!" She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "You want Beth? You want to be in her life, go find a judge who would give you custody of her."

"You think I don't have parental right?" Puck asked.

"You don't care about her." Quinn dropped her voice. "The novelty wore off and you were back to jumping cheerleaders."

"I have a right to see my daughter." Puck told her determinedly. "You know I love her, you know I love you."

"You love the idea of us." Quinn told him tiredly. "I don't think you actually care about putting any effort into a relationship."

"Give me a chance Quinn." He was almost begging at that point.

She shook her head and swiped away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

"I gave you so many chances." She put her hands on either side of his face and looked him in the eyes, her heart breaking as she saw how broken he looked. "But I'm protecting my daughter, because you of all people know how hard it is to have someone you love come and go from your life at their convenience.

He kissed her, it was only a brief meeting of their lips before Quinn was walking away, but it was enough for Puck, who watched her go.

* * *

The steps outside school were packed with students milling around for the lunch break. Most of them didn't even pay attention as the New Directions put on a show. Quinn flipped her hair and adjusted her clothes nervously, but when the music starting, everything just felt right. She'd hadn't had to dance around since she was pregnant, and although she'd felt jerky during their brief rehearsals, this was perfect, fluid, right.

Maybe two people looked in their direction, it was almost enough to set off hysterical giggles in Rachel who kept insisting a new girl was watching in interest.

Quinn and Mercedes laughed off the ignorance later as they walked together to Glee that afternoon, talking about what they'd missed in each others lives over the Summer.

"So, you haven't bought Beth back to school." Mercedes causally mentioned, Quinn didn't even mind that she was probably digging for dirt to bring back to Kurt.

"It was only really a one time thing." Quinn shrugged. "Besides can you imagine getting slushied while carrying her?"

Mercedes winced. "Good point, how are you holding up?"

"I'm an unmarried teen mother, who used to be president of the celibacy club, living in a religious town right in the middle of the Bible belt." Quinn smiled. "I'm a walking contradiction, but at the moment if Beth sleeps for longer than six hours, I'm the happiest person in the world."

"Good for you." Mercedes said as the two girls linked arms. "My parents said to bring Beth over for dinner one night, they can't get enough of her."

The auditions laster for two hours, with no one showing up, five minutes towards the end they all filed out disappointed, with an oddly elated Rachel prancing from the room like it was the best thing in the world to be losers in the eyes of the student population. Mercedes looked frightened as Rachel slung an arm over her shoulder and led her from the room, chatting excitedly, but the others, Quinn included, felt the slight sinking feeling of disappointment as they left.

Quinn caught a ride with Kurt and his father, finding their odd form of bonding endearing and almost regretting it when they pulled up out front of her house. Inside though, she was elated when she saw Beth making little grabbing motions in her direction.

"How was school honey?" Judy asked as Quinn unloaded her book bag on the bench and picked up Beth, enjoying the sensation of having her close.

"Long, did Beth behave?" Quinn asked as Beth began to whimper and fuss.

"She's hungry." Judy called as Quinn made her way up the stairs, happy to be relieved of the heavy feeling in her breasts.

That night her phone rang repeatedly, each time Puck's name flashed across the screen and every time Quinn sighed and ignored it, pretending like the homework in front of her was the most important thing in her life.

But the most important thing was sleeping in the nursery and visions of Beth and Puck danced behind Quinn's eyelids all night long as sleep evaded her.


	3. The Memories

This chapter only serves the purpose of wrapping up 'Audition'. And letting me throw a not-so-dirty scene in there. Lets just say Quinn's flying solo for a little while. This took aaaaaaggggeeeesss for me to write and upload, mostly because I was on holidays. Doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you guys.

* * *

Her day began with a slushy to the face. Blue and cold, it slid slowly under her clothes, through her hair, down her face

Mercedes and Kurt came to her rescue, peeling away from her skin the now blue pale lace of her dress, washing her hair in the bathroom sink and fetching her clean clothes.

Re-dressed and holding her head high, she left the bathroom and almost collided with Sue Sylvester stalking through the hallways.

"Q!" She barked, making Quinn jump in shock.

"Sorry Miss Sylvester." She immediately apologised, stepping away from the cheerleading coach.

"I've been looking for you." Sue told her menacingly, and Quinn would have stepped back again, but there was a row of lockers in the way.

"Why?" Quinn tried not to cringe away, but Sue looked angry, not that she ever looked happy.

"Still going to those church groups?" Sue asked, rounding in on Quinn like she was going to strike.

"I still talk to my pastor and gave a couple of talks at youth groups." Quinn didn't admit she'd almost stopped going to church altogether, bar her few appearances to warn other young Christians away from premarital sex. Beth was like a living breathing warning to the danger of unprotected sex.

Sue stepped back a little and crossed her arms over her chest.

"My confetti cannons got taken away, budget cuts." She announced, and Quinn tried not to laugh at what she'd already heard about, it seemed a fitting punishment for glory seeking Sue.

"That's too bad." Quinn squared her shoulders a little and arched an eyebrow, trying to look confident. "I don't see how I can help though."

"Many church groups would sponsor a team helping a teen mother to rehabilitate." Sue pointed out.

"You want me back on the Cheerios?" Quinn asked, disbelieving. "I thought I betrayed your confidence and let you down?"

"And you'll probably deafen the other girls with the sounds of your stretch marks rubbing together." Sue added unhelpfully. "But I need my budget restored. What do you think, want to lose forty pounds?"

Quinn glanced down at her body, her former insecurities creeping back, as if propelled from Sue's very direction.

The memory of her slushy facial versus the restricting material of her Cheerios uniform became a fixture in Quinn's mind, even as she mumbled an excuse and made a break for the choir room, which, much to her relief, was empty.

Sinking into a seat, she closed her eyes and mentally pictured Beth, her soft gold curls, bright blue eyes that looked at the people and object around her in awe. And then Quinn thought about the hours and hours of Cheerios practice. The pain, the tension, the Sue Sylvester Master Cleanse.

"Everything okay?" It was Finn who found her first, sitting next to her, but not leaning too close, Quinn smiled wryly, thinking of his dedication to Rachel, and how she would give anything to have that kind of devotion from a boy, the devotion Finn had once tried to show her.

"Are you happy?" She asked Finn in all seriousness. He was quiet for a moment before he answered.

"Well, dating Rachel is ok, I guess." He shrugged, a lopsided grin on his face. "She's controlling, and she dresses funny, but I really like her, and her dad's are cool."

Quinn laughed softly, thinking about a dinner at the Berry house.

"Are you happy?" Finn turned the question around on her, almost startling Quinn, who thought about it for longer than a few moments.

"Yes." She said. "And no. Beth is perfect, at home, at Glee, I'm so happy, in a perfect place I thought I'd never get. But I'm lonely, because when you have a baby, you can't go to Breadstix, or the movies. I can't go on a date, not that anyone wants to ask me, and I can't talk on the phone all night, or message people. I slept in the same bed as Puck for four months, it's like I can't get used to being without all these people around me."

She paused to think about her verbal outburst. "Sorry." She shook her head.

"No." Finn put a hand over hers. "It's okay."

"I shouldn't be burdening you with all this." Quinn stood and wiped under her eyes, not even aware that she'd been crying until she felt the tears on her cheeks.

"You've always got Glee club. And Puck, he loves you," Finn paused for a moment. "I guess he just doesn't know how to show it."

"Thanks Finn." Quinn hugged him, enjoying the contact before letting go. "Rachel's really lucky to have you."

"And Beth is lucky to have you." He told her.

* * *

"She sent her to a crack house?" Quinn frowned at what she was hearing from Mercedes.

"Apparently, not an 'active' crack house. Whatever that means." The were in the seating area of the auditorium watching the band set up, while the other Glee club members casually scattered around the seats talking, Quinn could feel Puck's eyes on her but chose to ignore him, instead watching a pretty Asian girl reading over sheet music with the drummer.

Quinn shook her head in amazement. "Rachel is truly dangerous." She said this like she hadn't known it all along.

Mercedes nodded. "Did you hear Brittany accused the new coach of touching her?"

Quinn looked bewildered, looking around to see Brittany staring off into space, eyes glazed over, Santana at her side.

"Coach Beiste?" Quinn laughed in disbelief. "Let me guess, Miss Sylvester?"

The two girls swapped smiles as Mr. Schue entered the auditorium and the rest of them gathered around and watched the new girl move to the center of the stage.

"Hi, I'm Sunshine Corazon and I'll be singing the song 'listen' from the movie 'Dreamgirls'." She looked nervous and Quinn felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, not because she was new, or was going to sing in front of strangers, but because for some reason, she had landed herself in the warpath of Rachel Berry.

Quinn leaned against the divider and was not surprised when Puck swung himself up to sit next to where her elbows were resting, seemingly ignoring Santana who sat on his other side, and when Rachel turned around to make a snotty comment, he issued a bored sounding "shut up" that had Rachel huffing and spinning back around.

Sunshine's audition was simple and powerful, and Quinn found herself swaying along with the others, clapping as Sunshine belted out the final notes and was welcomed to the Glee club.

The next day however, they were then informed that Sunshine had been poached by Vocal Adrenaline and had to sit through a narcissistic rendition of 'What I Did For Love' by Rachel that was downright painful.

Sue's offer was still lingering in the back of her mind, so for the first time in six months, she lingered after school and snuck into the gymnasium where the Cheerios were climbing on each others shoulders to form a pyramid, helped along by Sue who insisted on shouting insults at the girls. Quinn watched Santana, at the bottom of the pyramid, buckling under the weight of another girl and for a moment remember the time when it was her on top, high above all the others, wind blowing through her ponytail, smile on her face, compliments being thrown at her.

And then she was back in reality, getting a ride home with Kurt, walking through the front door to find a grumpy Beth, a tired Judy and bills from the hospital.

Stepping on the scales before she went to sleep was like a form of self punishment, the cherry on top of a bad day, as a cheerleader, and a teenage girl, she knew what it was like to be neurotic about her body and her looks. Beth had changed everything about her body though, her breasts, stomach, hips and thighs, the stretch marks she'd prayed so hard not to get were there, think white lines she tried not to look at, rubbed cocoa butter into every night. But some things had changed, her stomach was flat again, her hips starting to slim, her breasts were going to be bigger until she stopped breastfeeding or expressing milk, but Quinn felt no inclination to do so just so she could have her pre-baby body back, she knew it didn't work like that and to think as much was selfish.

That night as she lay in bed, her mind replayed scenarios of Puck running his hands over the swell of her belly, feeling in fascination as Beth kicked at his hand, placing kisses on her skin until her reached her lips. Like any hot blooded male, he'd appreciated the swell of her breasts, had been fascinated with how sensitive they were and despite her objects and his own callous words, he seemed to enjoy her growing body.

When Quinn lived with Puck, it always seemed like when they started getting hot and heavy, his mother would walk in, or rap on the door, or Hannah would want some attention from her new best friend. She'd always had the mindset that her relationship with Puck was because she was carrying his baby, because she was forced to live with him, because she was hormonal, and towards the end of her pregnancy, when she went to live with Mercedes, she though the best thing to do was cut Puck off.

He took her to the obstetrician, stuck by her side in Glee, even bought her bacon burgers in a big for her attention, to make up for the jerky comments he made in passing, or when she was hormonal. But Quinn wouldn't go further than kissing him chastely, and in the end it had sent him right back to Santana.

But lying on her bed, with a cool breeze playing across her heated skin from a late Summer, Quinn thought about the long four months it had been since he'd touched her, slipped a hand between her legs and was surprised by how her body reacted.

Thought about his arrogant smirk, the swell of his muscles, the prickly stub of his unshaven face and head in the morning when he woke her by muzzling her affectionately, and the very few times she'd let him have his way, a desire born of raging hormones and the compliments he paid her as he worshipped her body, slipped past her defences, held her gently or simply used her, each time dragging her higher than before until she crashed into a pile of bliss.

And when, alone, she peaked, his name slipped from her lips in a quiet raspy moan, and feeling so many emotions, a twist between guilt, shame, satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, she washed her hands in the bathroom and regarded her reflection, messy hair, flushed cheeks and a spark in her eye she only seemed to have when Puck touched her.

Self satisfaction came in first, and feeling better than she had in months, Quinn slipped back between her sheets and fell asleep.

* * *

I'm almost looking forward to writing out the episodes when Quinn and Puck aren't really noticeable. Did anyone notice their dirty dancing in the promo for Britney/Brittany was never seen on the episode, I mean you saw a little, but not the dry humping in the promo. Unhappy. And the 'Audition' promo shots where Puck looms behind her as she makes her post baby Cheerios debut in the hallway.

And although you may be fans, I hate Sam. Because as Santana says, he has zero game. And seems more appropriate for a relationship with Brittany, I mean I like the kid, just not with Quinn.


	4. The Return

This was slightly longer, probably because there's more room to be creative when the storyline isn't all about Quinn/Puck. I think the next few chapters are going to be about establishing more of a friendship between our two teen parents, also introducing a love/hate aspect about it, after all who doesn't hate the boy who knocked you up in High School, even for trivial reasons.

* * *

Let no one say that being a single teen mom was a glamorous job. Quinn was up at dawn and covered in baby poop before the sun was up, a fussy Beth turned a simple feeding into a three hour feed, burb, bath and change routine as the baby insisted on either throwing up on herself or on Quinn. The temptation was there for her to skip school all together, spend the day in bed with Beth and the latest season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD borrowed from Kurt, but Glee club and 4.0 average was a powerful motivator and changing her clothes for the hundredth time, she gathered Beth in her carrier and decided even though she'd missed first period, she figured having Beth with her would excuse her.

That was until she got out of the house and realised two things. One, her car still wasn't working, she'd been relying on her mother and Kurt for the better part of a week. Two, Puck was parked out front of her house in his mom's Volvo, complete with a baby capsule in the back.

Quinn took deep steady breaths and tried to assure herself he wasn't stalking her in a desperate attempt to win her back, he was actually listening to a Cee Lo song at top volume. Approaching the car window and going unnoticed by Puck, she rapped sharply on the window, watching as he yelped and turned the music off, almost falling out of the car as he attempted to get out too fast.

"Noticed you weren't at school." He said casually as he stood smoothly and grabbed her bag for her, opening the backseat and putting it next to the baby capsule.

"So you decided to wait outside my house?" Quinn asked, unbuckling Beth from her carrier and carefully strapping her into the capsule while Puck checked to make sure the restraints were still tight.

He shrugged as he applied the child lock and shut the backdoor, opening the front passenger seat for Quinn to slide in.

"You're Mom said to say she's in court today." Puck explained. Quinn knew this because her mother had said so that morning as Quinn went through the motions with Beth. "She also said Beth was being fussy, I thought I'd offer a hand, but when I got here the Cee Lo song was on and then you were outside."

Quinn nodded as he finished his mini ramble, almost touched at the gesture but reminding herself that she didn't want a relationship with Puck, that she was meant to be mad at him about his casual fling with Santana, but Beth was sleeping and she didn't want to start an argument that would wake her.

They got to school just in time for Quinn to slip into Spanish without a comment from Mr. Schue, Beth's presence causing a quiet stir among the students as she slept through the class, just as she had the first day of school when Quinn had bought her in. It wasn't conventional for a teen mother to bring a baby to school, but already halfway through the day when Beth was now slumbering peacefully, Quinn couldn't see the harm, and as bad as it was, no one would throw a slushy in her face when she was holding a baby, she hoped.

"Alright, who can tell me who Christopher Cross is?" Ten seconds into Glee and Quinn already wanted to leave, sensing another week of self discovery through boring outdated songs that Mr. Schuester seemed obsessed with performing and having Beth quietly fussing next to her.

"He discovered America." Brittany declared and heads swivelled towards her direction. Quinn could see Finn nodding in agreement and tried not to laugh, covered her mouth with her hand and tried to not look annoying when Puck moved Beth from the seat next to Quinn into the back row where he settled her by letting her play with his fingers.

"Close, he did writer an iconic chart topper." Mr. Schue explained, for some reason excited about this.

"I have a bad feeling about this lesson." Kurt sighed, echoing everyone else's thoughts.

"Never heard of him, don't want to hear about him." Tina added.

"Now." Mr. Schue continued. "Some people think of the term 'easy listening' as a bad thing, but I'm going to let this music speak for itself."

Everyone either rolled their eyes or sunk down in their chairs in defeat.

"You guys love Lady Gaga and the Rolling Stones, and you guys are really good about putting it all out there." Mr. Schue continued. "But, really good music can also be controlled and restrained, it doesn't have to attack an audience, it can let them, come to you." He finished up his words looking directly at Quinn as he handed her the sheet music, as if she could understand where he was coming from.

She didn't.

"How can you get caught between the moon and New York City?" Finn asked. "They're like, a hundred miles apart."

Quinn decided from that moment on never to trust Finn's sense of distance.

"Mr Schue? If I may." Kurt raised a hand and sensing a distraction from music they didn't care about, everyone turned in their seats to look at Kurt. "I think I speak for all of us when I say its not that we don't like the idea of spending a week on this silky smooth adult contemporary, it's just that, as teens, this isn't the easiest music to relate to, however." He paused for dramatic effect. "There is a burgeoning Facebook campaign that has swelled to over five members, the ardent demand that this week at the Fall homecoming assembly, the McKinley High School Glee Club perform a number by, wait for it, Miss Britney Spears."

Quinn smiled at this idea, even as she reached back and snatched her baby back in a gentle way, listening to everyone agree with Kurt's suggestion.

"Sorry, no, no. I don't think she's a very good role model." Mr. Schue shut the idea down immediately, despite the protests. It was Brittany who spoke up.

"I don't want to do Britney." Once again heads turned in her direction. While Brittany explained their similar names, Beth began to fuss again and Puck used Quinn's distraction to lift Beth from her carrier, cradling her in his arms like he did it all the time, casually, smooth.

"Um, can we move on?" Rachel piped up, and Quinn began frantically looking around when she saw Beth's empty carrier, scowling when she saw her contently resting in Puck's arms.

"Yes." Mr. Schue agreed with Rachel. "Let's talk about Michael Bolton."

Quinn wasn't the only one who groaned.

* * *

Quinn and Mercedes were in the hall when Azimio and Karofsky decided to rip Finn's letterman Jacket in half, Puck had finally relinquished hold of Beth, only for Mercedes to scoop her up straight away, and the way the rest of the Glee club were swooning, Beth would only ever be in their arms.

Quinn was going to step between Finn and the meatheads, watching in shock as he punched the locker taking a missed swing at Azimio, but before she could move, Artie was there, rolling himself into the middle of the altercation and offering Finn an apology for getting him kicked off the football team.

Azimio and Karofsky may have been meatheads, but even they were taught well enough not to hit a kid in a wheelchair, even if it was alright to lock him in a port-a-potty and with one last threat, they turned and walked away, shoulder past Quinn like she wasn't even standing there.

Quinn grimaced and turned to make sure Beth was still asleep in Mercedes' arms, oblivious to the goings on around her. Quinn's heart sank in sympathy when she saw the defeat in Finn's eyes, knowing what he was feeling, the rush of air as he fell so far down on the social hierarchy that even the math club had the right to toss him into a dumpster. Such was life, Quinn sighed as she collected her books from her locker and her daughter from her friend, Puck had told her he would be waiting for her after school to drive her home and even though Quinn wanted nothing from him, he was trying, and Beth was always watching him in fascination, Puck watching her with equal amounts of absorption.

"You need to make any stops?" Puck asked when Quinn approached him, taking her books from her arms like she was too weak to bear such a burden. Quinn settled for taking Beth and holding her in her arms as they crossed the parking lot, heading towards Puck's Mom's Volvo, occasionally stopping to greet someone, Quinn not realising just how drained she was until they reached the car and Puck strapped Beth in securely.

"I need to get diapers." Quinn told him. "And milk."

Puck was quiet for a moment as he started the car, heading towards downtown Lima.

"I thought Beth, was you know-" He lifted his hands from the wheels long enough to gesture towards his chest in a manner that suggested breasts.

Quinn laughed softly. "She's still breastfeeding, the milk is because cereal is dry without it. And I happen to like my cereal with milk."

"Oh." Puck nodded shortly, pulling into the supermarket parking lot. "Should we come in with you or…?" By the time he'd trailed off, Quinn was already unstrapping Beth and bundling her up to take into the supermarket, Puck followed, a few footsteps behind, obediently grabbing a cart and following Quinn as she expertly navigated the isles.

Diapers and milk quickly became companions to baby oil, ice cream, baby wipes, bread, a bag of apples and other assorted items, things that Puck couldn't even identify as Quinn tossed them into the shopping cart, but it was halfway down an isle that seemed to contain only various brands of shampoos that Quinn stilled, her hands unnecessarily soothing Beth as though she were the one upset, Puck could see a faint tremor in her hands as she turned around and pretended to be absorbed by the display in front of her, while further down the isle, an older man and a young girl covered in various tattoos, looked at something on the shelves with interest.

"Quinn?" The man saw Quinn and stepped away from the tattooed girl, stepping closer to look at Quinn, who cursed for the first time ever. At least the first time Puck had heard.

"Everything okay?" Puck asked, stepping up next to Quinn and angling his body so Quinn could almost hide behind him.

"Hi Dad." Quinn said, so quietly it was almost missed by the older man.

"Quinn." He stopped in front of the teenagers and nodded his head in greeting at Puck. "I see you kept the child." He said it with such negative emotion that Quinn squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and stepped out from behind Puck.

"I see you kept the skank." She looked to where the tattooed girl looked back and forth between them. Raising an eyebrow she faced down her father.

"You were special Quinn." He shook his head sadly, like Quinn had died, not had a baby.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Quinn recited, levelling a steely gaze at the man she'd once adored so, seeing nothing of the person who had raised her. She looked back to Puck and shook her head. "Let's go."

There were through the checkout and into the car before Puck could blink and Quinn didn't slow down, not until they sat in the car, Beth sleeping soundly in the back, and that was when she began to cry, not the soft tears he was used to seeing, but great heaving sobs that wracked her frame, desperate sounds that tore at his heart as she buried her face in her hands.

In the backseat, Beth sensed the distress and began to whimper, her little feet kicking out in protest as Puck offered Quinn a spare shirt to wipe her face with, a gesture that seemed to make her cry harder than before, Puck having no experience with crying women was left to sit there bewildered, seemingly only able to offer consolation to Beth, leaning back to reassure her that everything was okay.

Eventually, Quinn quieted, wiping her face, patting down her hair and regaining some composure.

"Can you take me home now please?" Her voice was quiet, thick with tears, raspy from the crying she'd been doing. By the time he pulled into her driveway, she was back to herself, the only indication of her breakdown was the red rimmed eyes. Puck quietly gathered the groceries from the trunk, bringing them into the house and leaving them on the counter as Quinn gathered Beth from the car, settling her down in a playpen area on her back, and Puck watched in amazement as Beth wiggled for a moment before, with some effort, rolling herself into her stomach.

"Did you see that?" Puck asked as Quinn began to put away the food that would spoil, saving the baby goods for last where she left on the bench to put in the nursery when she next ventured up the stairs.

"She laughs, she smiles, she grabs for things." Quinn told him, digging through her book bag for her homework. "She's getting older, Puck, she's not a newborn anymore."

Puck went quiet for a moment, looking around the Fabray kitchen awkwardly until his eyes rested on a slip of paper innocently resting on the countertop.

"You need money for this?" The question was almost an accusation as he held up the overdue bill for the paediatrician, with her parents still fighting it out in court, the bulk of their money was inaccessible, little things like groceries were already draining the small allowance they had, which was why Quinn's mother had spent the morning in court.

"It's fine Puck." She reached out and snatched the paper back, folding it up and stuffing it between the books in her binder, trying not to be irritated with him.

"It looks like you need money." Puck persisted, trying to reach for the paper again only to have Quinn slap his hand away. "Look, I can give you the money."

"I don't want your money." Quinn told him honestly. "I told you I could do this on my own."

"Really, cause you look like crap Fabray." Puck too, was brutally honest in his assessment of her.

"Oh, that's nice Puck." Quinn snapped at him. "That's because I have a daughter to take care of, one I don't forget about when I want to get in some girl's pants."

"It was one time, when are you going to let that go?" They were close to each other, yelling loud enough that Beth let out a piercing scream followed by a wail. Quinn shook her head at Puck and swept down to pick up Beth, her footsteps echoing as she walked up the stairs to put the baby down, reappearing moments later with a baby monitor in hand, Beth's soft cooing could be heard coming through the speaker.

She was surprised to see Puck still standing there, looking frustrated.

"I told you I loved you." Puck's voice was quiet. "I love her too, and I meant it." That being said he stormed from the Fabray house, still taking care to latch the door quietly, as so not to startle Beth.

* * *

The next day in Glee, they were presented with the best looking dentist Quinn had ever seen. He flashed a perfect smile at them and held up a small package.

"So here's the deal, you chew this little capsule." He explained. "Now, if there's any plaque you missed, the dye should stick to it and turn your teeth blue."

Santana said what they were all thinking. "Can I just day you are the hottest dentist I've ever seen?"

"Yeah, I get that all the time." He took it in his stride, but Santana persisted.

"No really, you can drill me whenever you-"

"Santana!" Miss Pillsbury looked startled, but at the same time overexcited. "Lets stay focused."

Quinn grimaced as Mr. Schue and 'Carl' began to size each other up, and Kurt chose that moment to announce the addition to the Britney Spears Facebook campaign.

"Sorry guys, the answers is still no." Despite the look he received from Miss Pillsbury, Mr. Schue was still against doing Britney, and Quinn frowned as Kurt settled back with a quirked eyebrow and an irritated expression.

She grimaced as she began to chew the bitter tasting capsule, watching everyone's peculiar expressions as they chewed away. Although hesitant about it, Quinn gave a smile and was happy that no one jumped away in shock, next to her, Tina and Mike used the opportunity to make out, while behind her, Finn's yelp made everyone turn.

"Oh my God." Kurt voiced it accurately as they all turned to see Rachel's blue smile, and Quinn wasn't the only one who smiled a little as she fumbled for a mirror and screamed when she saw her reflection.

Artie and Brittany faired no better, and when Brittany explained how she thought Dr. Pepper was a dentist, there were frowns all around in concern for the dim cheerleader.

With assurances that Brittany would be getting dental treatment, the rest of them filtered out towards their classes, Quinn heading towards her locker to exchange her books.

"Q!" Quinn jumped as Sue Sylvester rounded on her, people scattering in the halls away from the cheerleading coach.

"Miss Sylvester." Quinn closed her locker and turned to face her.

"Thought about my proposal Q?" Sue questioned glaring at the students who passed.

"I can't just jump back onto the Cheerios." Quinn finally admitted. "I have commitments now, I'm barely getting my homework done as is."

"Booster Club might be able to scrape some funds together, get you a nanny from a third world country, she could live in your basement." Sue suggested, Quinn didn't bother to point out the racism and lack of tact in her suggestion.

"I don't think that would be the best thing right now." Quinn eventually said. "Maybe when Beth's a little older?"

Without waiting for Sue's reply, she kept on going towards her class.

"That was brave. Thought you would jump at the opportunity to get back onto the Cheerios." Puck joined her as she walked, casually like he hadn't been waiting for her.

"Three after school practices a week and game nights." Quinn pointed out. "Not to mention travelling for away games and Nationals. I can't do that and Glee Club, it's already bad enough my Mom picks Beth up and takes care of her while I do Glee."

"I could watch Beth." It was a casual suggestion, but Quinn could guess he'd probably rehearsed this many times. "Its only two hours after school, and I couldn't hook up with any cheerleaders cause they'd be at practice too…" He trailed off and left Quinn stuck in her thoughts.

"Can you image Miss Sylvester's face the first time I show up with baby puke on my uniform?" She asked, laughing at the image. "I don't know, I thought I'd give her up and jump back into my old life, forget it ever happened."

"You wouldn't have forgotten." Puck told her seriously. "My Mom said she'd help if I took care of Beth, until I get the hang of it." Quinn didn't have the heart to tell him that caring for a baby was tough work.

"I guess we could give it a trial?" She suggested, trying to fight back the spark of hope that threatened to grow into a wildfire.

"It'll work." Puck promised. "You love the Cheerios."

Puck was right, Quinn thought as she stepped into the Gymnasium instead of Study Hall, watching the red and white clad girls throw themselves into the air in perfect form. It wasn't the popularity, the gifts, the praise, that drew Quinn to Cheerios, it was the fact that she was good at this, she'd been doing pyramid formations with her friends in her backyard since she was a toddler, Junior High she'd led the cheerleading squad, she was the youngest ever captain of the McKinley High Cheerios.

"Nice to see you joined us." Sue said as Quinn walked up to her.

"I want to set a few things straight." Quinn told her confidently, wondering if she could walk away if her demands weren't met. "I can't always wear the uniform, babies vomit, I can't attend every function, every car wash, practices called at the last minute."

"You know what," Sue told her. "You can still do a toe touch jump, I don't care if you strap the kid to your back to perform, just as long as you get it done."

Her words were clear, bring her in another trophy, get her more funding, her previous transgressions would be forgiven, even if the evidence was clear.

Becky appeared at Sue's side holding a clear outfit bag, and inside Quinn could see the outfit she'd worn since her second week at McKinley High. Taking it from Becky she went into the change rooms and carefully hung it on a hook.

She carefully took off her pale dress, letting the floaty material fall into a puddle of chiffon and lace on the bench, unwrapping the Cheerios uniform and putting it on.

It was like slipping back into an old skin, each zip zipped, the pleats carefully folded, red shorts on underneath, white trainers, laces carefully tied.

Then there was the hair, she had become so accustomed to having it fall down her back, Beth did love tangling her little fingers in it, but Miss Sylvester had the rules for a reason, and Quinn was not hesitant about pulling her hair back once again into a regulation Cheerios ponytail.

She regarded her reflection in a mirror, noticing changes, everything from the size of her breasts to the way her skirt smoothed over her thighs, even her eyes were different, steely, no longer so innocent.

Dropping her dress into her Cheerios book bag, she stored it in her locker and stepped out to rejoin the team, seeing the satisfied look in Sue Sylvester's eyes and the glare that Santana shot her.

"Brittany's at the dentist." Sylvester announced. "And Harper has some kind of bird flu, so she's off the squad, I have a new routine and I expect it to be memorised by tomorrow!"

Quinn threw herself into the choreography, feeling her body protest the harsh workout but determined to keep up with the other girls, more than once someone jabbed her with an elbow to her sensitive chest, or kicked her as they practiced flips.

At the end they were all exhausted, flopping down to the floor as soon as Sylvester let them, listening to her rant before dismissing them.

"Q! A word!" Quinn felt a nervous coil of anxiety tighten in her belly.

"Everything okay coach?" She tried to stand up straight and look Sue in the eye.

"Tomorrow we're doing lifts." Sue informed her. "Better lose some of that baby fat, you're going to be on top of the pyramid."

That was as close to a compliment that Sue was ever going to give her, and with a happy smile, Quinn almost skipped to the locker room to shower.

* * *

And our girl's a Cheerio again, don't worry, she won't turn back into the robot she's been on the show lately, but I wanted to show a slower return to form rather than letting everyone fall to their feet in worship straight away.


	5. The Altercations

While this chapter isn't as long as other chapters, there's less reproduced dialogue from the episode. In this chapter, Quinn spreads her wings, by getting prepared to spread something else. Just In Case.

In other news, never having has a baby before, I should inform all you lovely readers that the bulk of my mothering knowledge comes from being the second of seven well spaced children, as well as being an aunt to six nephews, two of which were born before my sister was seventeen (yay for teen promiscuity) And Google. I love Google.

And that being said I should advise everyone to practice safe sex. No Glove, No Love. Or celibacy, Quinn was president of the Celibacy Club you know, although look where that got her.

This Chapter is for my lovely reviewers. Love you guys.

* * *

While the other members of New Directions were visiting the dentist, Quinn sat in the waiting room of a different kind of doctor.

"Quinn Fabray?" Answering the nurse's summons, Quinn gathered Beth and her bag and slipped in the doctor's office, settling Beth and waiting nervously.

"Hi Quinn." Dr. Groth was an older woman and had been her doctor since she was a child, and was even the one to confirm her pregnancy, and until recently Quinn had been in the care of an OB/GYN.

"I want to go on the contraceptive pill." Quinn blurted out before she could lose her nerve. "But I'm breastfeeding and I wanted to talk about it with you."

Dr. Groth was also a member of Quinn's church, but she took this request in her stride and produced a number of pamphlets from a draw.

"While no harmful effects on babies breastfeeding from mothers on the contraceptive pill have been recorded, it's not very recommended." Dr. Groth advised and Quinn nodded her understanding, having found the same thing on the Internet the previous evening.

"I'm not having sex at the moment." Quinn told her. "But there is a chance that I could, eventually, partake in intercourse." She tried to sound smart about it, but she wanted to cover all her bases, just in case.

"I understand." Dr. Groth. "And I'm sure as a young mother you aren't eager to get pregnant again any time soon. Have you talked to your own mother about this?"

"No." Quinn shook her head. "She's under a lot of pressure at the moment, I don't want to worry her."

Dr. Groth put a comforting hand over Quinn's to still the nervous shake the girl didn't even realised she had, she steadied herself with a deep breath.

"Read through those, think about your options, but don't rush to wean Beth." Dr. Groth cast a fond look over the sleeping baby. "Enjoy your time together, she won't be that little forever."

Quinn smiled at that comment and thanked the doctor, exiting the office to find Puck waiting for her, just as he said he'd be.

"Everything okay?" She realised how nervous he looked, trying to appear casual by leaning against the side of his mom's Volvo and failing.

"We're both healthy." Quinn promised, not wanting to reveal the reason for her doctors visit.

"I replaced the battery in your car." Puck said as he drove towards the day care centre.

Quinn smiled slightly. "You didn't have to do that." Although she was grateful, car repairs were not factored into the carefully constructed budget her mother and her had organised, and as a last ditch resort Quinn was planning to sell the car and rely on the bus and her mother.

"I also changed your oil, it should run fine from now on." Puck casually mentioned, and Quinn tried not to sigh.

"Puck, you can't keep doing this." She eventually said. "We're not together, you have no obligation to me."

"You think I want my kid on the bus to day care?" Puck asked, sounding annoyed. "Stop acting like this is some big inconvenience Fabray, just deal with it."

They were quiet until Puck pulled into the centre parking lot, waiting while Quinn dropped Beth off and then heading towards the school.

"You missed Kurt yelling at Mr. Schue in Glee." Mercedes informed her when Quinn met her in the hall. "And what did I hear about you getting back on the Cheerios?"

Quinn looked down at her purple dress, a favourite of hers that she'd only just been able to fit into again, and remembered Cheerios practice that afternoon.

"I have to go change." She told Mercedes in a panic, rushing to the locker room where another crisp uniform was waiting for her.

If people had been looking at her differently because they heard she was back on the Cheerios, it was different again when she walked down the hall in the red and white uniform, hair in the regulation Cheerios ponytail, an air of confidence that only existed in knowing you were at the top of the social hierarchy, they were in awe of her.

"Does this mean you're going to stop talking to me?" Mercedes asked when Quinn emerged from the locker room.

"Of course not." Quinn defended. "I'm not going to wear this all the time, but Coach Sylvester insisted, and I just wanted a little bit of _me_ back in my life."

"What about Beth?" Mercedes asked.

Quinn sighed. "Puck offered to take care of her during after school Cheerios practice."

Mercedes rose an eyebrow. "Is that smart?"

"Probably not." Quinn admitted. "But he deserves a chance to know his daughter. Now what happened in Glee?"

* * *

"Oh my God." Santana had been leaning next to her locker the next morning while she sorted through her books, apparently clinging to Quinn's rise to popularity again in an effort to find herself on top of the pyramid, even if she had to throw Quinn to the ground to achieve this. Brittany was next to her filing her nails, and she too, looked up at Santana's comment.

Rachel Berry walked down the hall, causing more stir than Quinn in her Cheerios uniform, which she still had on, only Rachel was wearing something out of a Britney Spears music video.

"That looks immoral." Quinn commented.

"That looks illegal." Santana added, her eyes gleaming wickedly. It almost made Quinn wonder what type of clothes Santana would have worn had she not devoted herself to a life of the Cheerios uniform.

The three of them watched in interest as Finn attempted to cover her up, sharing smirks like they always used to do, but then Quinn saw Puck and almost shoved her head into her locker to get away.

"Pick Beth up from my house at five?" He asked her, ignoring Brittany and Santana who were sizing him up.

"A little after." Quinn told him. "I'll need to change."

"Mum wants you to stay for dinner." He said it quietly, so the other girls wouldn't hear.

"That should be fine." Quinn said politely. She lingered around just long enough to hear Jacob Ben Israel offer to kill his parents and give Finn his house in exchange for Rachel before she fled to class, already planning to get out of eating dinner with Puck and his mom.

* * *

"Well Rachel, congratulations." Santana offered the other girl. "Normally you dress like the fantasy of a perverted Japanese business man with a very dark specific fetish, but I actually dig this look, yay." She clapped her hands together softly as Quinn and the others hid their smiles.

"Thankyou." Rachel tossed her braids and smiled at the underhanded compliment Santana threw her as Kurt stood up.

"I think what Santana is trying to say Rachel, although I risk expulsion by saying so, is that it seems like Britney Spears has really helped you blossom. That's all." He sat down again as Mr. Schue sighed.

"Wait, Rachel, is that true, I mean you are sort of dressing differently." It was a teachers way of saying she was dressing like a porn star, or at least that's what Quinn thought. She almost didn't blame Puck for sitting there staring at her cleavage.

Finn was quick to cut off any comments about Rachel as she went on to describe her Britney Spears dentist fantasy.

"Now I realise its okay to feel that way about yourself every know and then." Quinn didn't miss that Rachel was looking back towards her as she spoke. "You know, maybe it's a good thing."

Quinn rolled her eyes, almost grateful that Miss Sylvester interrupted the class to speak to Mr. Schue.

"I wonder what that's about?" Mercedes commented as the others started to discuss Britney again.

"She caught Ben Jacob Israel masturbating in the library last night." Quinn explained, opening her work binder and finishing off the math questions she hadn't been able to complete last night with Beth waking every ten minutes for most of the night.

Mercedes shot her a disgusted look.

"How do you know that?" She asked.

"Coach Sue made us picture it this morning in Cheerios practice." Santana added with a disgusted look of her own. "As a punishment for not being able to do a wolf wall blindfolded."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Tina asked, taking a rare break from making out with Mike.

"Blindfolded?" Quinn asked. "That's easy, when she makes us rub butter on our skin and shoes? That's dangerous."

"But that's why we're the best." Santana proclaimed.

"I thought you were on the bottom of the pyramid." Mercedes taunted Santana who shot her a nasty glare.

"She's second from the bottom now." Quinn said, still buried deep in her math questions. "Lucy caught the flu from Harper and she's out for a week now."

"And it's not like Quinn's the captain of the squad again." Santana added, and Quinn stilled, remembering that because she wasn't captain, she couldn't tell the other girl to shove it.

The bell rang and they all split up, Quinn lingered for a moment, waiting to talk to Puck.

"You know where the centre is right?" She asked him, twisting her hands nervously.

"Relax, I got it covered. Milk in the bag, diapers in the bag, my mom will be there." He rattled the information off. "I'll see you after five Fabray."

Quinn nodded curtly and headed to Cheerios practice, convinced that she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but Beth and being pleasantly surprised when for the whole practice, she was able to forget everything and throw herself into the routine.

Even Sue's negative comments weren't enough to bring her down, even after practice as she showered and changed, she could feel a glow in her cheeks she only got from cheerleading, but that began to dissipate when she pulled into the Puckerman driveway, replaced by a foreboding sense of dread.

It was odd to knock on the door and wait, especially when only a few months ago she'd been welcome to come and go as she pleased, despite the awkwardness between Puck's mom and herself.

Puck opened the door and Quinn felt her jaw drop, he was shirtless, baby Beth nestled in his arms fast asleep, a trail of drool from her mouth dripping down his arm.

"Is everything okay?" Quinn asked quietly.

"Yeah." Puck said, closing the door one handed behind her. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." Quinn admitted, and that wasn't even Sue Sylvester's idea of a diet talking either.

Puck's face seem to fall slightly, and with Beth still draped over his arm, he set about gathering her things, from the empty washed bottle on the sink, to the blanket spread over the living room floor.

"Where's your mom and Hannah?" Quinn asked, helping to zip up Beth's bag, which was actually just an old duffle bag her mom had in a cupboard that presented itself at the right time.

"Kitchen." Puck pointed. "Go say hello."

Quinn hesitantly headed towards the kitchen, she hadn't seen Puck's mom Sarah since Beth was a couple of weeks old, nor had she seen Hannah.

"Hi everyone." She gave an awkward wave to Hannah who was sitting at the table doing homework and Sarah who was standing over the stove.

"Oh hello Quinn dear." There was no warmth in Sarah's voice despite the greeting.

"Quinn!" Hannah, however, launched herself off the chair and wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist, hugging her tightly and Quinn returned the hug with equal affection. "You haven't been around in forever."

"Noah said you were back on the cheerleading squad." Sarah commented, stirring something in a pot and Quinn got an overwhelming sense of disapproval.

"He offered to look after Beth while I did afternoon practice." Quinn trailed off, her hands twisting together nervously again.

"Well, are you staying for dinner?" Sarah asked.

"I better get Beth home." Quinn looked to Puck for a rescue as he walked into the kitchen.

"Here she is, fed and changed." She had a different little onesie on, one Quinn hadn't seen before, but she knew Puck or his mother must have bought it because despite the pink, it was decorated with skulls and crossbones.

Puck noticed where she was looking and shrugged a little. "She is a Puckerman after all."

Quinn bit her lip nervously at the statement.

"I really should get going." She said, picking up Beth's bag and saying goodbye. Puck carried Beth to her car and strapped her into the backseat while Quinn stood there nervously.

"She is a Puckerman, right?" Puck asked Quinn as he gently shut the car door.

"You did look at the birth certificate when you signed it right?" Quinn asked.

"I was meant to read it?" He asked, scratching his head in confusion. "Why, what was wrong?"

"I put her last name as Fabray." Quinn explained. "Just so it wouldn't be difficult with the two of us having different last names when I took her to the doctors and when she starts school."

"She doesn't have my last name?" Puck asked in disbelief and agitation.

"Look, can we talk about this tomorrow?" Quinn asked, she was tired and her breasts were sore, Beth needed to go home and all Quinn wanted was a long, hot bath.

Puck ran his hands over his head and gritted his teeth in frustration, turning around and walking back into the house without another word to Quinn.

Quinn shook her head, too tired to be upset about another argument, instead simply driving home.

* * *

It could be a little obsessive complusive of me, but having watched all the season 2 episodes over and over, the scene in Britney/Brittany when Kurt yells at Mr. Schue is filmed in a way that suggests not everyone was there, no long shots of all of them, none of Quinn, so I left her out. Let me know if she was there and I'm being ignorant.


	6. The Fears

Ahh mood swings, 50% of people can identify with them, they are called females. 50% of people have to suffer at the hands of people having mood swings, they are called males. This chapter may be a little jerky, it took ages to write, especially given I had like two lines of dialogue for both Puck and Quinn to work with, so this is mostly Quinn central.

* * *

Quinn woke up that morning feeling better than ever, as she stretched, she came to a realisation that but a beaming smile on her face.

Skipping downstairs in her Cheerios uniform, Beth in her arms, she found her mother looking tired and haggard.

"Beth slept through the night." She happily announced to Judy, who frowned in concern.

"Honey, Beth woke up three times, you must have just slept through it." She told Quinn gently, and Quinn's mouth gaped in shock.

"But I always wake up when she cries." She protested.

"You must have been tired from Cheerios and Glee." Judy put a comforting arm on her shoulder. "I was happy to get her. Don't forget Beth has an appointment to get her shots at four this afternoon."

Quinn had completely forgotten about the four needles Beth needed to be subjected to, apparently routine at her age, it had broken Quinn's heart the first time Beth got a shot. That coupled with her guilt about burdening her mother with Beth's broken sleep pattern distracted her all day to the point that when Artie was announcing his place on the football team when Quinn blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"I thought Artie's legs didn't work?" She instantly regretted the blunt statement, but Artie seemed unaffected by it, going on about his plans, while Rachel gaped at Finn's rejoining the football team.

Through all the drama, Quinn sat there, knowing that Puck wasn't talking to her, she'd even sat up the back where he normally sat, but when he walked in right before the bell, he'd slumped down in the first row and hadn't even looked back towards her direction. Quinn didn't want to bring up their conversation from the previous night, not if it was only going to start an argument.

She zoned out, lost in her thoughts, only to be bought back in when Mr. Schue announced he would be performing a Britney Spears number with them. The cheering came to a halt as they exchange horrified looks, concerned with the stranger that used to be their Glee Club Coach.

"But what song are we going to do?" Someone asked and their celebration quickly became an argument, Rachel arguing for 'Baby One More Time" while Artie wanted 'Stronger'.

"'Oops!…I Did It Again'." Tina was trying to get someone other than Mike to agree with her, while Finn just looked lost.

"'If U Seek Amy'." Santana had a suggestive smirk on her face when she named her song choice, while Quinn rolled her eyes and threw the first Britney song she thought of into the mix.

"'Crazy', it has a good dance beat and it's a classic." She shrugged and started on the Spanish homework due after lunch.

"Toxic." Everyone turned to look at Puck, who simply shrugged. "She was hot in that song."

The girls rolled their eyes.

"Now, we need to talk lead singers and costumes." Rachel began to babble while Quinn tuned out in an effort to complete her Spanish homework.

"Quinn? Quinn?" She looked up to see everyone filtering out and Mr. Schue looking at her in concern.

"Sorry." She began to pack up her books. "I got caught up in homework."

"Is everything okay Quinn?" He asked in concern, but Quinn brushed away his worry.

"Just readjustment." She shrugged, she didn't want to confide in Mr. Schue about the guilt that was beginning to surface.

It plagued her during the day, fears of abandoning Beth so she could climb social ladders and form human pyramids, exhausting her mother by ignoring Beth's cries during the night, sleeping through her baby's cries.

And the underlying fear that she didn't do the right thing by keeping Beth, that somewhere out there, there was a loving childless couple who could have done the right thing by her daughter.

Her Cheerios uniform, which had felt so right when she put it on that morning, became like a straightjacket, restricting and suffocating, her scalp throbbed with the tightness of her ponytail, and in a swift move, Quinn pulled her hair tie free, letting her hair fall down. She felt better instantly.

"Miss Sylvester." She caught up with Sue as soon as she saw her in the hallway, speaking before the coach could criticise her for having her hair down.

"I can't make afternoon practice." She informed her. "And if you think that's going to be a problem, I think I should quit the Cheerios."

"And do what?" Sue asked. "Replace you with Finn Hudson?"

Quinn frowned at the comment, but before she could say anything, Sue put a hand up to cut her off.

"I want to offer you the position of Head Cheerleader." It took a moment for Sue's words to sink in, leaving Quinn standing there mouth gaping.

"I- I can't." She eventually managed to stutter. "I'm exhausted, from Glee, from Cheerios, from Beth." As soon as the words left her mouth, Quinn regretted them, she couldn't blame Beth for her exhaustion, that wasn't fair.

"Think about it Q." Sue told her. "And I don't accept your resignation from Cheerios. Get a nanny, you're the only girl who can do a triple back flip."

She left Quinn standing in the hallway, more confused than ever, mostly because she'd never done a triple backflip.

"Puck." She saw him standing by his locker and approached him slowly, waiting for his rebuffing.

"I know, get Beth from the centre after school, you'll get her after five." He recited, roughly shoving a book into his bag.

"Actually I was going to say Beth has a doctor's appointment I forgot about and I was wondering if you wanted to tag along so you didn't miss out on daddy time." Quinn informed him.

Puck scratched the back of his head in contemplation before shutting his locker.

"She's okay, right? Beth?" He asked, looking half concerned.

"Yeah, just some booster shots, nothing fun." Quinn explained, waiting for an answer to what should have been a simple question.

She watched his eyes slide along the hall and she followed his gaze to where Santana was leaning against a locker with Brittany, the two of them swapping Britney Spears CD's, giving Quinn all the answers she needed.

"You are incredible." She said in disbelief, shaking her head. "Your baby daughter is getting shots and you would be rather taking shots at Santana."

"What? No, I didn't say that." Puck said defensively. "Besides, she'll be at Cheerios practice."

Quinn scoffed, shaking her head. "Seriously. Forget it, I don't know why I even bothered."

"Come on Quinn!" He grabbed her as she turned to walk away, pressing her back against the lockers. "It's not like you're putting out."

Quinn felt herself flush, and for a moment couldn't tell if it was from anger or embarrassment, before settling on anger.

"You know what Puck, screw you." She told him, shaking her arm out of his hold and marching down the hall.

That afternoon, she held her crying baby as she was given four needles, soothing her as she cried herself into a restless sleep.

* * *

An early morning Glee practice found her grinding against Puck with an air of indifference, snapping his suspenders with more force than necessary and cursing Mr. Schue who seemed to think they were the perfect dance partners. She didn't even bother to redress into her Cheerios uniform, instead dressing herself in one of her classic white dress and cardigan combinations, because although her chance to save her virginity for her husband was gone, she could make it very clear that there was no way she would be giving her body to Noah Puckerman again.

Puck gave her distance, which proved to be exactly what she needed, her angry burn slowed to a simmer by the afternoon, where she cut her last class early to pick up Beth and bring her back in time for the next Glee rehearsal. She had no idea who Bob Fosse was, or what he had to do with Britney Spears, but Rachel wouldn't shut up about him and how much of an impact their 'Toxic' number would have. Quinn eventually busied herself with a fussy Beth during their short breaks, disappearing in order to feed and change her, while the others were left to suffer Rachel's ranting.

Friday couldn't have come soon enough, her mother finally returning from her sister's home just in time for Beth to get an ear infection and Quinn to miss out on another Cheerios practice because she had too much pride to ask Puck to take care of Beth.

The girls and Kurt all gathered in the bathroom to change, and while the others chatted excitedly, Quinn stood slightly apart, changing quickly and tying her hair up at the nape of her neck.

"Can I ask you for a favour?" Rachel approached her as she was putting on her hat and Quinn turned to face her with a blank expression.

"Look I don't have time to think let alone run around doing favours for people who are of no help to me." She told the other girl bluntly, watching for a moment as he face fell. "What is it?"

"I need you to proposition Finn." Rachel blurted and Quinn felt like laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Is this because he's back on the football team?" She asked Rachel, leaving over the sink to touch up her makeup in a mirror, trying to cover the dark circles under her eyes.

"And rumours are that Coach Sylvester wants you as Head Cheerleader again." Rachel informed her, Quinn paused in her actions.

"I'm not going to go after Finn, if that's what you're worried about." Quinn told Rachel with an undertone of bitterness.

"But that doesn't stop other people from going after him." Rachel murmured, her eyes flicking up to the reflections of Brittany and Santana.

Quinn sighed, flicking a coating of mascara over her eyelashes and then another until she was satisfied with her reflection.

"Can it wait until after this stupid Britney number?" She asked. "And tell me what to say, you're the one who knows what Finn wants to hear."

As they posed behind the curtain, Quinn in an uncomfortable proximity to Puck, they could all hear the sounds of the students chattering excitedly in the gymnasium.

"How is Beth?" Puck asked, his voice uncomfortable loud in their little sanctuary behind the curtain.

"She's fine." Quinn said brusquely, looking anywhere but at Puck.

Mr. Schue burst in through the curtain, revealing for a moment the McKinley students, the ones who tortured, bullied, harassed and slushied them. And Quinn remembered she used to be queen of them, could still be if she wanted to.

"Ready guys?" Mr. Schue asked them in excitement, and Quinn could only sum up her feelings in one work. Anxiety.

She looked around at the others, Brittany for once seemed not to be floating a glassy-eyed fragmented fog, rather she was standing with her legs together and her palms flat on the floor, straightening with a determined look in her eye and her hat in her hand, it gave Quinn some determination to perform as well as she could.

When the cheering students rapidly spiralled down into a panicked mob, frozen in their poses, the New Directions watched in amazement, and when the last student fled the gymnasium, the sprinklers burst to life, soaking them within moments.

"Well, I think they liked us." Tina deadpanned. No one disagreed with her.

* * *

Quinn snapped from her funk as soon as she picked up Beth, Beth who looked up when she walked into the day care centre and smiled a gummy smile in Quinn's direction. Everything seemed better then, Beth only waking once that night, and the next morning Quinn was almost proud to zip herself into her Cheerios uniform, singing a song beneath her voice to Beth as she fed, bathed and dressed her, pulling a little hat on her head to protect her from the chilly wind outside.

When Quinn stepped into the hallway, she made a bee line for Finn's locker, giving her best sweet smile and glancing up at him from below her lashes in a way that drove boys crazy, a move taught to her by her own mother.

"Congrats Finn." She touched his shoulder gently, trailed her fingers down his arm, and made sure to sweep his body with her eyes. "You're back on the team, I'm going to be Head Cheerleader again, some kind of symmetry, don't you think?" She looked past Finn to see Rachel standing there. "With all the nastiness between you and I behind us, I think we should be together. We'd be shoo-in for Homecoming King and Queen. So what do you say, you and me, eight o'clock Breadstix?" She leaned in closer, looked up at him innocently.

"Look, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have feelings for you. Probably always will." Finn's revelation was news to Quinn. "But I'm not going to get back together with you, there's someone else, you know who that is. I'm asking you to respect that. I'm sorry." He took off down the hall, and Quinn couldn't help but blink back tears at the painful sting of rejection, even if it was just a set-up. She took a moment to compose herself before continuing down the hallway towards Rachel.

"I said what you wanted me to, he shot me down." She realised how jaded she sounded, but couldn't be bothered caring at that point. "So congrats, looks like really loves you." She fled before she had to witness Rachel's delight at Finn's reaction.

Quinn knew Rachel had used her, but that didn't stop the sting at Finn's gentle let down, and the reality that while most of the Glee Club were coupling up, she was the teen mom who had responsibilities before she could invest herself in a relationship, not that anyone was interested in her.

In Glee, Rachel was still rejoicing in Finn's devotion to her, and when she stood, Quinn mentally retreated, save having to witness another outdated ballad of self worship that Rachel seemed to favour. But the familiarity of the song bought a small smile to her lips. And when Rachel reached the chorus, Quinn felt a soft touch of a hand on hers, looking down at Puck, she felt tears prick at her eyes and sang along with the others, while Puck sung to her, telling her she was the only exception, and she sang it back to him.

Leaving the choir room, she saw Sue Sylvester wearing a ridiculous neck brace and all her negative energy came to a head.

"Coach Sylvester?" She stopped in front of the coach. "I quit the Cheerios."

She didn't wait around for a reply, instead she went home.

That night, she sang the same song to Beth as she fed her, watching as her eyes fluttered shut, not stirring, even when Quinn laid her down in her crib.

* * *

Anyone else catch 'Furt'? Don't keep reading if you haven't, but I have high hopes of Santana sinking her claws into Finn, leaving a not so sexed up Puck and Quinn realising that her new 'boyfriend' has ridiculous lips. Seriously, I like Sam, but with Quinn. No.


	7. The Heartbreak

I'm bbbbbaaaccckkkkkk! Just in time for the post christmas season when everyone is lying around doing nothing but eating Christmas candy. Here's hoping you're all having fun playing with new toys (I got a laptop, yay!) and spending time with loved ones (Did I mention the shiny ring on a very important finger? Not mine though.)

I apologise for my absence, after a few deserved days of holidays listening to my pregnant sister throw up and babysitting of course, I returned home to find my internet was not working. And it took three weeks to fix, not happy.

This chapter is for 1992, as well as all my other reviewers, I'm sure I'll get around to either personally thanking you or name dropping in the Author's Notes.

And one last little thing. I hate this episode, so I'm being very liberal with the events. And I have a question, should Puck go to Juvie? Because the Glee people pretty much admitted that was to speed things along between Quinn and Sam - grrr.

* * *

Quinn was present the first football game of the season, wrapped up in multiple layers with Beth sleeping strapped against her chest. Quinn winced every time someone took a hit and watched in amazement as Finn pushed Artie through the throng of football players.

Sitting between Kurt and Mercedes, Quinn watched wide eyed from the stands, not even feeling the slightest tinge of regret as the Cheerios filed out to perform. Like any normal person, Quinn ate the bad tasting hotdogs, bought for her by Kurt's dad, and guzzled more soda than she should have and rejoiced in the fact that although the crowd was yelling in excitement, Beth didn't even stir.

When the McKinley High team won, for the second time in four years, Quinn joined the rest of the Glee Club who circled around the congratulate Artie, Finn, Mike and Puck, Quinn almost not even noticing when Puck threw a heavy sweaty arm over her shoulder and peaked under the wrap protecting Beth from the elements.

"That was amazing Artie." Quinn reassured him, giving Finn a quick hug despite the awkwardness that lingered between them.

"You need a ride home?" Puck asked her over the noise of the crowd and Quinn shook her head in response.

"I drove, needed the baby seat." She explained.

"Why don't you bring her inside?" Puck gestured towards the changing rooms, and despite her apprehension at walking into the boy's locker room, she had begun to worry about Beth being outside, no matter how well wrapped up she was.

"I think I better take her home." She eventually decided, and Puck nodded in understand, taking one last quick look at Quinn before letting her leave. Quinn felt good about being able to get along with Puck, and tried to deny she was feeling jealous when she saw Santana throw herself over him, but in the end her exhaustion overwhelmed her and she headed home, dropping Mercedes off along the way with a promise to call the other girl sometime that weekend.

That Sunday she was back at Mercedes' house, following the other girl to her church, not the least bit uncomfortable with being the only white, single mother in the congregation, even Beth didn't stir for the duration of the service, and feeling better about her relationship with God, Quinn joined Mercedes and her family for brunch.

Afterwards, caught up on her homework, she even joined Beth in her afternoon nap, rising in time to eat dinner with her mother who had attended their old church with Quinn's sister.

Nothing could have prepared her for Finn's revelation in Glee the next morning.

"Oh my God, he's coming out." Puck was quick to announce, and Quinn shook her head even as she bit back a smile.

"Well yes." Finn agreed. "There is a man who's recently come into my life. And that man is Jesus Christ."

Quinn couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face, even as Kurt looked horrified and Rachel confused.

"That's way worse." Puck blurted, and Quinn slapped him on the shoulder.

"And I know there's others in here who dig him too." Finn continued, casting a glance at Quinn who was pleasantly surprised by Finn's religious turn around. "So I thought maybe this week, we could pay tribute to him. In music, you know, pay tribute to Jesus."

"Sorry." Kurt cut him off, looking both hurt and entertain. "But if I wanted to sing about Jesus, I'd go to church, and the reason I don't go to church is because most churches don't think very much of gay people. Or women. Or science."

The church Quinn had attended before living with Mercedes was exactly as Kurt described, shallow minded, hard lined, she didn't blame Kurt for having his prejudices against religion.

"I don't see anything wrong with getting a little church up in here." Mercedes announced, and Quinn shot the other girl a smile.

"I agree, I've had a really hard year, and I turned to God a lot for help." Quinn agreed. "I for one wouldn't mind saying thanks."

"Thanks for what?" Santana asked her with a sneer. "That it didn't come out a lizard baby?"

Quinn sat still for a moment, counted to ten but still saw red, and while Brittany explained that praying made her fall asleep, Quinn launched herself at Santana, tackling the cheerleader out of her chair.

Her hand was wrapped around Santana's ponytail, while she raked her fingernails down Quinn's arms, both of them shouting whatever insults came to mind as they rolled around on the choir floor, throwing in as many hits and slaps as they could before they were pulled apart, Puck wrapping an arm around Quinn's waist to pick her up effortlessly off the floor while Mr. Schue and Finn held back an enraged Santana.

"Don't you ever talk about my baby!" Quinn was screaming at Santana, as the other girl lunged for her again, getting only Puck's back as he turned around, keeping Quinn secure in his grasp, even as she tried in vain to break free of his hold.

"That's enough." Mr. Schue finally intervened. "Santana, why don't you go clean up in the bathroom, Quinn, sit!"

Both girls gave each other spiteful glares as Santana backed out of the room and Puck dumped Quinn unceremoniously into a chair, a hand on her shoulder to keep her there.

"You okay?" He asked as Quinn straightened her hair and composed herself. Santana returned minutes later, her hair back in its ponytail, a bright red handprint evident on her cheek.

"Can you two be in the same room together?" Mr. Schue asked, while they both regarded each other with disdain. "Well?" He prompted.

"Fine." Santana eventually ground out.

"Fine." Quinn agreed through clenched teeth. Puck dragged her up the back as far away from Santana as possible, while Santana sat next to Brittany, who began to fuss over her immediately.

"Now this week" Mr. Schue continued. "We don't have to focus on songs about God, we can concentrate of spirituality."

Out of the corner of her eye, Quinn could see Puck making a face, evidently, Finn picked up on this as well.

"You have a problem with Jesus?" Finn asked Puck, who scoffed.

"I got no problem with the guy, I'm a total Jew of Jesus, he's my number one Heeb." Puck told Finn. "What I don't like seeing is other people using J-money to cramp everyone else's style, cause it seems to me that true spirituality or whatever you want to call it is about enjoying the life you've been given." Just when Quinn thought Puck had said something that actually sounded profound, he had to keep talking. "I mean, I see God every time I make out with a new chick."

"Okay, that doesn't make any sense." Rachel told him. "In fact it's stupid."

"Are you called Mr. Billy Joel stupid?" Puck asked her, and before anyone could comment on he randomness of his question, he had sprung to his feet and grabbed a guitar. "This time I'm going to continue my streak of only doing songs by Jewish artists."

As he broke into the opening lines of 'Only The Good Die Young', Quinn couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, remembering the long nights of him idly strumming away on the beat up guitar in his room and how this song had to be one of his favourites. She most certainly didn't miss the way he sung it to her, and the meaning it had, but regardless, she jumped to her feet and danced along with the others, and when the song drew to a close, she cheered along, rubbing the top of Puck's head in an affectionate move.

He hooked an arm around her waist as they all sat down again, and despite all her reservations, Quinn didn't shuffle away from the arm that stayed around her for the rest of the lesson.

Everyone's good mood quickly dissipated with the news of Kurt's father's heart attack. Quinn only had fond thoughts about Burt, who always looked upon her with kindness, she found it unbelievable that the man who had sat with them at the football game that weekend, who bought them hotdogs and jumped to his feet in excitement with each pass, was now lying in a hospital bed. She found herself keeping Beth close that night, putting the baby in her bed with her, surrounded by pillows so she couldn't roll over, watching the gentle rise and fall of her little chest and observing each delicate eyelash resting on her cheek, each as long as the nail on her little finger. She could see her eyes flickering under closed eyelids, and hoped her daughter was having sweet dreams.

She bought Beth to Glee the next morning, if only to keep her close, and as they all walked down the hall together, she found herself reaching for Puck's hand, and he drew her in close, taking Beth so she could cross the room to offer a comforting hug to Kurt.

Even Santana softened slightly, offering Kurt her sympathies, her eyes raking over Beth where she was slumbering in Puck's arms and saying nothing.

The sombre mood settled over the class, and when Mercedes stood, Quinn made sure Beth was safe in Puck's arms before standing beside Tina to sing with Mercedes.

To say Kurt didn't take it well was an understatement, and Quinn was left stunned at his brutal rejection of anything religious.

It was later when she was walking through the halls with Beth in Puck's arms at her side, did she see Sue in her office with Santana and Brittany in close council with the cheerleading coach.

"This can't be good." She muttered, shaking her head when Puck looked in her direction in confusion. "We better get Beth back home, my mom said she'd take her for the afternoon."

"You know." Puck said casually as they walked down the hall, "my Mom said she's love a chance to baby sit Beth."

Quinn stopped walking, drawing Puck to a halt.

"Your mother _hates_ me." She enunciated. "I really don't think she has an interest in being around us."

Puck shifted uncomfortably. "Well, she wants to see Beth, like, alone."

Quinn rubbed at her forehead in frustration. "Could she maybe discuss this with me? Ask if its okay, what to do and not to do with Beth?"

"Well, she's had two kids, I think she knows how to take care of a baby." Puck's voice sounded tense, and as if sensing this, Beth began to fuss, screwing up her face and waving her little fists around.

"My baby Puck." Quinn reminded him as gently as possible, lifting Beth from his arms and settling him on his shoulder the way she liked to be propped up, instantly settling her. "I'm new at this, I worry about leaving her."

"She's my kid too." Puck said, dropping his voice low, as if aware of the people milling around the halls. "And my Mom wants me to start bringing her over for sleepovers, and stuff."

His words made Quinn's blood run cold, and being as gentle as possible, she lifted Beth from Puck's arms and began walking down the halls, Puck having to jog to catch up with her.

"Are you crazy?" She hissed as soon as they were in the car park. "I worry about leaving her for five hours at the care centre, you think I trust you to wake up three times a night because she needs to be fed and changed?"  
"You don't trust me?" Puck asked, looking hurt.

"You regularly sleep through being beaten over the head with your radio." Quinn told him, strapping Beth into her car.

"I thought we were getting over this." Puck said, taking her keys out of her hand and sliding into the drivers seat of her car.

Quinn got into the passengers seat, reaching over back to check Beth was secure and the red blooded male in Puck couldn't help but rake his eyes over her breasts as they strained the neckline of her dress in that manoeuvre.

Quinn caught him looking as she drew back, and shook her head in disgust, stubbornly setting her jaw and pointedly looking out the window as the houses flew by.

When the car was stopped in Quinn's driveway, they both sat there in silence, neither of them making a move until Puck reached over to cover Quinn's hand with her own, their joined hands resting on her lap.

"I don't want to lose her." Quinn finally whispered. "Seeing Kurt, and how painful this experience is for him, I don't think I could do that if it was Beth."

"You're not going to lose her." Puck said.

"I was going to give her away." Quinn's voice was thick with tears. "I had the perfect set of parents, and they would have made a beautiful family, I could have had everything."

"Do you regret it?" It was a loaded question, but Quinn was quick with her answer.

"Not for a moment, I regret that she has to go through life like this." Quinn admitted, a lone tear running down her cheek. "I can't get along with your Mom, my Dad can't get along with anyone, _we_ can't go three days without finding something to fight about."

"We can work on it." Puck urged her. "It'll get easier."

"You said you loved me." Quinn said quietly. "Is that still true?"

Puck nodded wordlessly and if anything, it made Quinn cry harder.

"Will you come to church with me this Sunday?" Quinn asked nervously.

Puck's brow creased as he contemplated her request. "Only if you come to Temple with my Nana and me."

"I've never been to Temple." Quinn confessed, smiling slightly.

Puck shrugged. "I've never been to Church."

They both exchanged smiles before Quinn broke the moment and climbed out of the car.

* * *

Sappy? Yes. I feel so bad being mean about Puck's mom when she's had one line the whole season. But there was the whole no bacon thing, so I guess its justified.


End file.
